The DII men's soccer championship heads to the Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina for the 2024 semifinals and championship match. We have a program making its semifinals debut, two programs that have plenty of semifinals experience and the two-time defending national runner-up.
CSU Pueblo's impressive three-year run rolls onward
There aren't many instances in the history of of DII men's soccer where a team made the championship match three years in a row. Seattle Pacific did it four times in a row from 1983-86 and... well, that's it. CSU Pueblo has the chance to make its third consecutive championship match — obviously a feat that is in rarified air in DII men's soccer.
The one downside is that CSU Pueblo was on the losing end of these previous two national runner-up campaigns. Now, the Thunderwolves are gaining momentum at the right time. They have won five in a row, which includes taking the RMAC tournament, and then winning back-to-back shutouts to reach the semifinals yet again. Defender Dylan Zavatini has also gained some momentum, scoring goals in consecutive games, including what ended up the game-winner in the quarterfinals.
The Thunderwolves have quite a bit of star power. Caio Oliveira was the RMAC offensive player of the year — second in the RMAC in goals and points while leading the conference in assists — while Shjon Andrews won defensive player of the year — the third year in a row he has won the award, an RMAC first. The experience and talent make CSU Pueblo a strong contender yet again.
McKendree makes program history
What a run for the Bearcats. Last week they won their first third round game in program history, and they kept going, advancing to their first national semifinals in program history. McKendree defeated No. 1 Saginaw Valley State, 2-1, to advance.
The Bearcats hope the adage that defense wins championships holds true. McKendree remains undefeated on the season, now 15-0-7. The Bearcats have posted 14 shutouts in 22 games, giving them the No. 1 shutout percentage in DII men's soccer. Christian Herluf has been in net for everyone of those shutouts, making him the DII leader. Matteo Schubert — the GLVC defender of the year — helped the cause for Herluf, leading a defense which has allowed just 0.45 goals per game. This is truly one the best defenses in DII.
However, the odds are somewhat stacked against McKendree. The last Midwest team (now Super Region 3) to make it to the national championship match was Saginaw Valley State in 2012. No team from the GLVC has won the DII men's soccer national championship, another odd the Bearcats will have to defy. But this is a team already setting history every week, why not one more?
Charleston (WV) back again... again
The Golden Eagles are back in familiar territory after a two-year hiatus. Prior to that, UCWV were becoming regulars at the national championship match, reaching it four times in five tries between 2017-21. The Golden Eagles have one blemish on their record, a loss way back on Nov. 6 to Concord, ultimately getting their revenge first by defeating Concord in the MEC championship and then bumping the Mountain Lions from the tournament.
Joao Belmudes, who leads the team in goals, sent the Golden Eagles to the semifinals with his game-winner — his 13th of the year — in overtime over Felician. Charleston has the highest-scoring offense of the remaining four teams, averaging just under three goals per game. They also have the fourth-best goals against average in DII men's soccer as arguably the most balanced team remaining.
Charleston has a chance to play Lynn. The two are no strangers this far into the season. The two teams faced off first in 2014 when Lynn defeated the Golden Eagles, 3-2, and met again in 2017, but that time it was Charleston's turn, winning its first national championship in program history. The two faced off two years later in the semifinals in a match won 3-1 in Pittsburgh. This is certainly a little December rivalry with a little extra fire behind it.
Lynn looking for No. 4
It took overtime, but the Fighting Knights are heading back to the national semifinals once again. Lynn has yet to lose this season, now 18-0-2, and looking to make its seventh appearance in the national championship match. Head coach John Rootes has made Lynn a powerhouse, reaching the national semifinals five times between 2011-19 before returning back in 2024.
Lynn, like McKendree, relies on some of the best goalkeeping in DII. Luca Clavero is right behind Herluf at No. 2 in DII men's soccer with a microscopic 0.49 goal against average. Clavero was the Sunshine State Conference goalkeeper of the year, and in front of him was Henry Haferkorn, the SSC defensive player of the year. Fun fact: Haferkorn had the game-winning goal — one of just two scores on the season — in getting Rootes his 200th career win, making him just the 19th coach to reach the plateau in the history of DII men's soccer.
The semifinals, statistically speaking
| Stat | Charleston (WV) | CSU Pueblo | Lynn | McKendree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoring offense | 2.74 | 2.32 | 2.40 | 1.68 |
| Goals against avg. | 0.65 | 0.86 | 0.50 | 0.45 |
| Goal differential | 48 | 33 | 38 | 27 |
| Save percentage | 0.750 | 0.680 | 0.800 | 0.855 |
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